2. 'ATO 7%$ %vpag, from the door) sc. of the sepulchre. It did not behove that the sepulchre should remain closed. — Jxa^ro, sat) Afterwards the angel arose with his companion. See Luke xxiv. 4 [where it is said, " Behold two men stood by them in shining garments.] — J-racw aurov, upon it) sc. the stone : so that no one could roll it back again to the sepulchre.
3. 'idia, appearance)1 sc. of his face. — hfjxbv, ivhite) Heavenly messengers are not before this occurrence said to have appeared in this dress : they have done so however since : see Acts i. 10, x. 30.2
4. 'n<rs/ vsxpoi, as dead men) Not even military daring endures the power of the inhabitants of heaven.
5. My <poj3tT<&e, fear not) An expression used at the com mencement of visions, which tempers fear, arising from the glorious sight overpowering the hearts of mortals, which promises
soldiers on watch. Mary Magdalene is the first of all who perceived the stone rolled away, and, without having entered the sepulchre, she goes to tell tidings of the fact to Peter and John. Whilst these things are being carried on, the rest of the women, having entered the sepulchre, are thrown into a state of anxiety by not discovering the body of the Lord, and upon receiving the angel's announcement concerning the resurrection, they depart quickly [ver. 8], Then Peter and John, coming to the sepulchre, and hav ing seen the state of things there, believe that the body of the Lord has been carried away, and return home. But Mary, having now taken her stand at the sepulchre [John xx. 11]; (for she had followed the Apostles hither anew after her first visit to it), gives vent to her tears, and after hav ing beheld the two angels, to whom she scarcely pays attention, she sees Jesus Himself, who presently after appears to the rest of the women also, as they were preparing to carry on the tidings of the angels to the disciples also. (Whilst these were going away, the soldiers in watch of the sepulchre, having brought to the priests tidings of what had happened, are bribed with money.) By this time Mary, attended by the rest of the women, has come to the disciples ; but not even on the part of Peter does she find faith in the good tidings which she announces. Our Lord, meantime, appears to Cleophas and his companion (and elsewhere to Peter also). But not even to these announcements do the disciples give faith, before that, upon the intervention of the apparition, which had, in addition, been vouchsafed to Simon, the reports were confirmed by reports. In fine, on that very evening, when the disciples were congregated together, and were conversing with one another on these subjects, the risen Lord presents Himself to their view. — E. B.
J Engl. Vers. " countenance." — (I. B.)
3 The dress corresponded to the message they delivered — Harm. .p. 589.